Lifting-jack.



J. P. RENEKER.

.LIFTING JACK.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 11,112.9, 1914.

` ATTORNEYS E. P. RENEKER.

LIFTING JACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1914. 1,1 1 1,614, Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

A 4 z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Taq. Tiqf.

W/UVESSS /N VEN T09 By wj .4 UOHNEYS UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JAMES PILIING RENEKER, F LOGANSPORT, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 4T0 FRED VANCE MCDONNELL, 0F LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

LIFTING-JACK.

Speclcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application led March 9, 1914. Serial No. 823,401.

To 11M-whom t may concern Be it known that I, J AMES luanxc RENE- KER, a citizen of the United States, and a' new and Improved Lifting-Jack, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

'lhis invention relates to hoisting and has particular reference to lifting jacks of the screw type and adaptedto be operated especiallyby power motors for lifting,heavy weights such as locomotives and cars for the removal of wheels and trucks.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide automatic cut-outs or releasing devices to prevent damage to any part of the mechanism at the upper or lower limits of movement of the lifting screw.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide automaticallyoperated connecting and disconnecting means Vwhereby the power screw is reversed directly as to, its operation by the simple reversal' of the prime mover.

Another object of the invention is to construct a device whereby certain reversing features are produced. by the use of pawls which are thrown into or out of positive operation by frictional contact withV other parts whereby the y necessity lfor using springs is avoided for such purposes. By this means unnecessary noise and wear and tear upon the parts are reduced to. a minimum.

The foregoing and other objects lof .the invention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this. specification in which like characters of` reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which-m l Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device madein accordance with this invention and indicating the relation of the parts while the weight is being lifted; Fig. 2

is a similar view showingthe parts in the positions assumed thereby when the upper limit of movement is reached andthe automatic cut-out is made eective; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the' device: and Figs. 4, 5, 6. 7 and 8 yare transverse sections on the corresponding lines of Fig. l and looking in the directions of the arrows.

The several parts of this device may be made of any suitable materials, and the head, the axis of D ably horizontal 'and at righi angles, to the relative sizes andproportions, as well as the general design of the mechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without dearting from the siirit of the invention iereinafter more fullly set forth and specifically claimed.

By way of an illustration of a preferred embodiment of this invention, I-show a base l() having a rigid hollow pedestal 11, extending upwardly therefrom, of cylindrical form and 'carrying at its lupper end a main .power nut 12, the same being secured in fixed position to the upper end of the cylindrical pedestal 11 by means-of coperating shoulders ,and set screws 13.- The .nut 12 has an outwardly projecting flange 14 at its upper portion and said flangeis provided with vertical oppositely spaced slotsor holes 15. The other main portion of the jack comprises a casing 16 slidable vertically on the outside of the pedestal '11 and nut 12. The main or lower portion of the casing 16 is in the nature of a hollow cylinder and is slidably fitted for movement along the edge of the Hange 14 of the nut, said flange constituting, therefore, a centering device for the casing. The lower end of the casing, being spaced from the outer surface of thel pedestal, is provided with a collar 17 secured in place by screws 18, and said collar 17 constitutes a guiding and centering device for the lower end of the casing as it operates upwardly and downwardly along the pedestal. f

The upper end of the casing 16 is flared outwardly and has secured to it a head 19 by means of a series of bolts 20 operating through coperating flanges 21 of the casing andhead. The main power devices of the jack are housed within the s ace4 below the head or between the head an l the flared portion of the casing. Ther weight to be lifted or lowered is supposed4 to be vengaged {,liarictly by the .roughened surface 22 of the The main 'lifting screw 23 is arra ed within the casing below the head 19 and as direct positive coperatiou with the nut 12, suitable means being provided to rotate the screw.,v causing it to move upwardl and downwardlyV within the nut. At 24 show a power 'spindle journaled in a bearing 25 formed in the flan es 21 of the: casing and espndle-being preferaxis of the screw. 'flic spindle'is intended mover such as a pneumatlc lengine orelectric motor, the connection being by means of a flexible shaft (not shown), but whereby the spindle 24 may be driven positively in either direction both 7fior hoisting and lowering alad'cariied b the top of the head. The head of the spin le 24within the casing is rovided with abevel inion 26 meshing with a1gear`27 Ajournal for free rotation around theaxis of the screw. The screw is shown provided' with a reduced upper end 28 formi-ng vanannular shoulder 29 upon which is'seated a hub 30 which normally rotates with the screw. Located -above the gea'rf2'dand the'zhub30 is a spur gear 31 'separate [from the-hub 30 by apluraltyrof antifrict onroll'ers shownasballs 32. he 'gear 27yliasjournaled in it a plurality of vertically' arranged shafts 33 shown as four in number'v and spaced equally from one an other at {l-degrees around the axis of the spindle 281Each of said shafts 33 carries at its upperland lower ends a pair of pinions 34 and 35; the upper pinion 34 being larger than the lower pinion 35 by one or more teeth. Thefupper pinions 34 all mesh with the nprnially stationary lcrum gear 31 above referred to, and the pinions 35 all vmesh with a driven gear 36 surrounding the ,lower portion of the hub 30 and resting uponh drivin' disk 37 keyed or otherwise rigidl'ysecu t'o thelifting screw. The gear"v 6 has an outwardly extending flange 38` to which'are pivoted aplurality of` relversing pa'wls 39, said pawls'having friction'aljengagement 'with the'upper surface of the driving disk 37. As shown in Fig. 7, said'pawla 39 are adapted to nest inwardly within 'the outlineof the flange 38 when thejaclr is operating to lift the head, but when' the screw'is'to be operated in the opposite direction the pawlsare carried outwardly by frictional contact'with the driving'disk soas to engage lugs 40, as shown by'dottedjlines in Fig. Theffu'lcrum gear lflias'secured 'to the u per surface thereof a ratchet disk 41 with w ich a plurality of "awls :42 vare adapted to'coperat'e, and' said tchat disk carries'on its upprsurfacea friction' late 43 adapted to bear directly against the ower surface of thetop of the'head'when the load is being lifted. Under these conditions the pawls 42 sitivel' j revent" rotation'df tli'e ratchet isk an F lcrumgear, these parts being connected b'y fixed' screws .44.' Since the fulcrum gear 31 is held stationary, as just stated, for thepurposeof hoisting the load, the gear l27 being driven bythe pinion 26 inthe direction indicated in Fig. 5,the sev eral pairs of gars 34 and 35 will be carried around the crum gear 31, and the gear 36 will be' caused to rotate 'slowly' around the hub 3U due to the comparatively slight dis arity in diameters of the pinions 34 an 35. 'Ihe smaller the difference between the number of teeth on these two pinions, the slower will the gear 36 be driven. Il provide, therefore, a means whereby a comparatively rapid running motor with a corresponding rotation of the shaft 24 may be caused to produce a slow movement of the gear 36 with a corresponding high power. The gear 36 is caused to be clutched to the driving gear 37 by any suitable detachable'means. For this purpose I employ a plurality of clutch pins 45 which are secured to and carried by a clutch collar 46 which surrounds the screw below the driv- AWardly through holes in the driving disk and extend normally into holes or sockets formed in or through the gear 36 or its flange 38. Said clutch collar is carried by a sleeve-47 surrounding the screw and normally rotatable therewith due to the action of the pins, and saidlsleeve is held forced upwardy normally by means of a helical spring 48 operatin between the sleeve 47 and a collar 49 a justably secured to the` body of the screw. The driving disk 37 is secured to the screw directly above a supporting shoulder 50. The sleeve 47 is provided with an outwardly. projecting flange 51 between which and the clutch collar 46 is secured a ring 52, antifriction rollers being provided between the collar and flange 512 The ring 52 has connected to it bv bolts 53 a air of straps 54 which extend downwardly through the above described slots 15 in thenut flange. The lower ends of said straps are secured rigidly and permanently in any suitable manner as bv rivets to a ring 55 which surrounds the pedestal closely above the guide ring 17, and a cushion device, shown as a, ring of flexible rubber V56, coperates with the upper surface of said ring 55. The rings 52 and 55 with their connecting straps 54 are normally non-rotary but slide upwardly and downwardly substantially in the same manner as does the casing during the operation of the screw Having now set forth the description of the .principal parts' of the mechanism, ia brief description ofthe method of operation will 'now beginne-Rotation of the driving shaft 24 will cause the gear 27 to rotate around the axis of the spindle 28 and fulcrum gear 31, and the gear 36 will be driven in the same direction' but at a slow d due to the differential pinions 34 'and 35. The clutch pins 45 being in the position shown in Fig. 1 will cause the rotation of the driving disk 37 andIscrew 23 simultaneously with the movementof the gear 36.' The nut 12 being stationary, rotation of ythe -screw in the manner stated will cause it to] ing disk 37. These clutch pins extend upbe unscrewed upwardly along or thro-ughv the nut, lifting a load resting upon the top of the head. lThe antifri-ction rollers 32 will act to take the 'main frictional strain between the stationary and rota-ting4 parts. After'the load is lifted and it is desired to lower it`to remo-ve the jack, reverse rotation of the driving shaft' 24 will reverse the ac- "tion of the gears and screw, causing the load to be' lowered, the spring 48 acting Y normally in this connection to hold the clutch pins in engagement. If, however, thedared portion of the casing. The load will operation of the power ,shaft is continued so as to hoist .the casing to the upper limit of movement, I provide'. a means whereby the connections will prevent the continued rotation of the screw, thereby avoiding any damage or breakage of anyof the parts. 'As shown in Fig. 2, when the screw is lifted as high as it ought to go, the ring 'through its cushioning ring 56 engages the lower surface of the flange 14 of the nut., and this action through -the straps 54 and ring` 52 will draw the clutch collar 46 downwardly away from the driving disk 37 and Withdrawing the pins 45 from the driving gear 36. As socn as the connection is broken by this means between the gear 36 and driving disk 37, and the friction is relieved between the pins 45 and the driving disk, the cushioning ring 56 due to its resiliency will immediately cause the pins to be further withdrawn from the driving gear 36. The gear 36 may new be free torctate under the continued movement of the motor without danger of injurinfr the machine, and, of course; without affecting the screw. The load. however. willbe held bythe screw as usual. vhcn the'load is to be lowered there may be aiven a reverse rotation of the power shaft 24 and corresponding rotation of the gearing, the friction between the head and the ratchet disk 4l being maintained Ino-V mentarily so as to hold the fulcrum gear 31 after the casing 16 reaches its lower limit of.`

movement, fthe power connections will be separated, due to the vfact that the lower end of the casing will strike against the shoulder 10 of the base and the slight `furthenmovement of the screw will carry the bottom of the friction disk 37 into frictional contact` with the shoulder 37 of the then be supported directly through the casing upon the base and the amount of clearance which normally exists between the disk 37- and the shoulder 37 will be transferred, so to speak, between the top of the head 22 and the friction disk 43, allowing the ratchet disk 41 and fulcrum gear 31 to rotate idly, the disk passing the pawls 42. Therefore, the driving gear 36 remains stationary and no injury may result to the mechanism, even though the motor may continue to run for a time. lVhen the. power is again reversed to lift the load from the base, the pawls 42 will again be inadefunctional to hold the fulcrum gear 31 stationary and the operation will proceed as already disclosed. 'lhe casing may be rovided with any suitable number of hand es, as indicated at 57.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a power operated lifting jack, the combination of a base including a pedestal. a casing movable vertically along said pedestal and including a load supporting head, a power shaft journaled in the casing. a lifting screw within the casing and coperating with the pedestal, clutch connections between the power shaft and the screw. and means to automatically stop the rotation of the screw when the casing reaches its upward limit of movement independently of the stoppage of the power shaft.

2. In a power operated lifting jack, the combination of a base including a pedestal, a casing movable vertically along said pedestal and including a load supporting head, a power shaft journaled in the casing. a lifting screw within the casing and coperating with the pedestal, clutch connections betweenthe power shaft and the screw, and means to automatically stop'the rot-ation of lthe screw when the casing reaches its lower limit of movement independently of the stoppage of the power shaft.

3. In a power operated lifting jack, the combination of a base including a pedestal, a casing movable vertically along said pcdestal and including a load supporting head. a power shaft journaled -in the casing, a

'lifting screw within the casing and coperating with the pedestal, clutch connections between the power shaft and the screw. and means to automatically stop the rotationl of the screw when the casing reaches either its upper or lower limit of movement.

4; In a lifting jack. the combination of a base including a vertically extending pedestal, acasingincluding a load supportinghead movable vertically with respect to the base. a rotary screw within the casing' through which the casing is hoistedvupon the pedestal, a driving disk secured to the screw, a power shaft journaled in the casing. rcV duction gearing between the power shaft and porting head. a power shaft journaled in the casing. gearing within the head operated by said power shaft, a screw coperating with the base and clutched normally to said gearing..said gearing including a fulcrum gear, means to hold the fulcrum gear from rotation while the load is being hoisted, and

means to automatically disconnect the clutch aforesaid when -the screw and casing reach their upper limit of movement.

6. In a lifting jack, the combination of a base, a casing movable upwardly-thereover and including-a load supporting head, a power shaft journaled in thecasing. gearing connected to said power shaft and housed within the head, said gearing including a fulcrum gear, friction means between said gear and the head whereby the fulcrum gearis held stationary at certain times, a screw within the casing and associated with said gearing, and selective shiftable clutch connections between the gearing and the screw.

7. The combination of a. base, avpower screw operating upwardly with respect to said base, a casing surrounding the screw and including a load supporting head, reduction ,gearing within the head, `selective shiftable clutch mechanisms 4between the gearing and the screw, said clutch mechanisms including a driving gear, a driving disk, and movable members acting between said ear and Said disk.

8. in a lifting jack, the combination of a load supporting member, a. power shaft, gearing within the load supporting member 1n operative connection with sald power shaft, a screwv associated with said gearing, a driving disk secured to the screw and supporting the last element of the reduction gearing, a pawl pivoted to the driving gear on an axis parallel t0 the screw and having frictional contact with the drivingdisk and thereby thrown into engagement positively with said disk at times, and frictional means Athe gearing having frictional enga ement with the load supporting head, and etachable clutch connections between another part of the gearing and the screw.-

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES PILLING RENEKER. Witnesses:

C. R. BENNETT, CHAs. FIGLEY. 

